Bailroad-cae



E. G. OTIS, 0F BERGEN, NEW JERSEY.

"t ILROAD-CAB. TRUCK AND JB M Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,973,dated May mi, 135%.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

lBe it known that I, E. Gr. Uris, of Bergen, in the county of Hudson andState of New Jersey, have made a new and useful improvement inrailroad-brakes and also an im rovement in the truck on the wheels ofwhich the brake operates, said improvements being for the purpose ofpreventin accidents on railroads; and I do hereby eclare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, in which* Figure 1, is aApla-n ortop view of the truck and brake. Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinalsection of ditto taken at the line X, X, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a sideelevation of one of the trucks. Fig. 4, is a front elevation of ditto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of theseveral figures.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a rod which runslongitudinally or lengthwise of the trucks, said rods having a caniwhich will be hereafter described, placed at about the center of the rodand between the two trucks of each car. This cain when t-he rod isproperly turned acts upon a bar connected with a toggle joint by theoperating of which a. collar which lits loosely on one of the axles isthrown in or out of gear with the axle by means of a clutch, a chain isattached to the collar which is also connected to a lever which by beingsuitably connected as will be hereafter shown causes the shoes to actagainst the wheels when said lever is operated; this lever is o eratedby throwing the collar in gear with t e axle by turning the rod beforementioned in the proper direction; the collar then revolves with theaxle and a chain is wound upon it acting upon the lever above mentioned;on one end of the collar there is a cap which ts over the hub of one ofthe wheels and by turnin the aforesaid rod in the direction (opposite tothe direction in which it is turned to throw the collar in gear with theaxle) this cap is made to bear or act u on the hub of the wheel andcreate enough riction to retard or stop the motion of the cars in casesWhere instantaneous stopping is not rc uired.

n a train of cars the several rods are connected by compensating jointswhich allow for the lengthening and contracting of spaces betweenthe'several cars..

The trucks are so constructed that if an axle gives way, the wheels arerevented from ruiming 0H the track; this 1s eected by having strongguards which will be hereafter fully described, laced horizontally oneach side of the whee s, and also by having the trucks supported in caseof the breakage of a wheel or axle by the cars bed in a manner whichwill be presently shown.

The manner of operatin the shoes, by means of the rod, cani, tog ejoint, and col lar in combination with e compensating joints, and themethod of constructing the trucks, or the guards in combination with thearrangement for. supportin the trucks from the car bed in case of therealrage of a wheel or axle.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention', Ilwill roceed fully to describe its construction an o eration.

A, Figs. l, and 2, represents t e car bed, and underneath it are the twotrucks; B, is the rod which runs longitudinally or lengthwise of thetrucks directly over the axles (a) of the wheels (b) this rod B, restsin hearings (c) (c) (c) (c) the two outer bearings, or those attached tothe ends of the car bed, A, are formed of thin metal strips which giveor yield in a measure so as to allow for any lateral or wabbling motionof the car.

C, is a cam attached to the rod B, atabout its center and between thetwo trucks, the cam is attached to the rod in the following manner: acircular disk or plate (al) is secured to the under side of the rodhaving curved slots throu h it, see- Fig. 1; underneath this plate d)another plate (e) 1s secured by screws which pass through the curvedslots in the upper plate (d) the cam C, is attached to the under surfaceof the lower plate (c), see Fi 2; the cam forms a portion of an oval ore ipse placed obliquely 10o on the plate (e).

D, is a bar having a recess in it in which the cam fits, see F1 2. Thisbar is connected to a toggle ]oint E, see Fig. 1, at the end of one ofthe levers of which is a clasp or band which encompasses the collar F,see Fig. 1. This collar works loosely on the axle (a). The outer end ofthe other lever of the to glo joint is secured by a clasp or band winchpasses around the hub of the wheel (b).

(f), Fig. 1, is one part of a clutch at one end of the collar F, is theother part of the clutch ou the ax e (a) the part (g) sliding on afeather on the axle.

G, is a lever at the lower end of which is a clasp or band whichencompasses loosely the part (gr) of the clutch. This lever is preventedom moving by a guard (It) the ever fitting in a notch or recess in theguard.

H, is a pulley on the rod B, around which a. cord passes the endsentering the car through the bottom for the purpose of turnin the rod B.

is a chain or cord attached to the collar F; the op osite end of thechain is attached to one en of a lever J; the chain I, has a spiralspring (z') upon it, the vuse of which will be hereafter mentioned; theo posite end of the lever J, to where the chain I, is attached issecured by a pivot to a bar or rod K, the outer end of which is securedto the cross rail (j) upon the two ends of which are shoes (la) Us);between the two ends of the lever J, and rather near the bar or rod B,is attached by a pivot a small rod L, see Fig. 2, and dotted lines inFig. 1; this pivot is the fulcrum of the lever; 'this rod L, is attachedto the cross rail (l) at the two ends of whiclA are also shoes (7c)(1a); now it will be seen that if the lever J, is drawn toward theclutch both cross rails (j) (Z) will be forced toward the wheels (b) andconse uently the shoes (k), will press against t em; the cross rails ofthe other truck of the car have av similar arrangement but the lever M,of this truck is connected to the lever J, by a dia onal rod N, and theposition of the lever gd, is reversed from that of lever J; the objectof this is to effect a perfect operation of the lever and cross nilswhen the two trucks are upon a curve of the road. When the rod B, isturned from right to left the cam C, will throw the bar D, in thedirection indicated by the arrow, F' 2; this movement acts upon the togge joint and the collar F, and the part (f') of the clutch which is onthe collar will lock into the part (g) on the axle (a) the collar willthen revolve with the axle (a) and the chain I, will wind upon it drawmthe outer end of the lever J, toward t e clutch which causes the shoes(la) of both trucks to act against the wheels, as before described; thec utch is thrown out of gear by turning the rod in a reverse direction.

The cam C, may be changed or moved so that it will not operate or actupon the bar D, with a. quick motion; this is done by loosenin thescrews and turning the lower plate (e so that the cam will not have avery oblique position; the screws are then tightened; the adjustment maybe made as circumstances require, the spiral spring (i) spve in thechain; by its elasticity, prevents any sudden strain coming upon thelevers and cross rails when the clutch is thrown in gear. The cam mayalso be reversed on thel rpd B or turned in a reverse oblique position,so that, if a car is placed wron ly upon the track, or the back of thecar w ere the front should be, the cam when in this reverse positionwould act in concert with the cams of the other cars.

On the end of the collar, opposite to where the part (f) of the clutchis placed, is a cap O, see Fi 1, which lits over the hub of the wheel (5Now when the rod B, is turned from le to right the cap 0, will presstightly over the hub which is of conical form, see Fig. 1, and createsufficient friction so as to allow the collar to turn and act upon thecross rails and thus press the shoes against the wheels suiiiciently forordinary purposes, where instantaneous stopping is not required.

P, P, are compensating joints; those joints are formed of two evers (m),see Fi 1, connected by pivots n) (n) (n) (n the pivots (n) connect t eends of the rods to the joinsand it will be seen that the ends of the rmay be forced near together or be drawn apart and still the rods willturn perfectly; these joints therefore compensate for the varying of thedistance between the cars which happen in stopping and starting a train,owin to the la of the coupling, and the elasticity of t e ufer; thepivots (n) (n) may be attached to small springs (o) (o) which have atendency to keep them in lace; these joints need not be disconnected yhand when the cars are disconnected for if the pivots (n) n) are alittle beveled on their lower surace, when the pull comes upon the jointthe pivots will be drawn out and force up the springs (o) (o) theorifice in the lever below being a little beveled on its ed e so as toallow the pivot to pass out. he sockets where the pivots (n) passthrough are beveled so that if the joints are turned in verticalposition, the rods B will accommodate themselves to the curvatures ofthe road, and the joints still work rfectly. In a train of cars theseveral ro s B, being connected by those joints, if either of the ulleysH, is operated upon there being a pu ley to each car so that theconductor must be near one of them all the clutches of the trucks willbe thrown in gear; when this is not required any individual clutch maybe thrown in gear by operating the lever G, which causes the part (g) othe clutch to lock into the part (f) on the collar, it being rememberedthat the part (g) works on a eather in the axle (a).

Each truck s furnished with guards, two on the outer sides and two onthe inner sides; the lower guards are represented by (72), these ardsare horizontal; bars of Wood which inclose the wheels and prevent themfrom getting 0H the rail in case of the breaking of a wheel or axle; inFig. 3, the two outer guards (p) (p) are seen and in Fig. 2, the twoinner guards, the lower guards are connected by metal bands (r) whichsteady and strengthen them. See Figs. 3 and d. The lower and upperguards have a vertical strip (vgl which is placed between the Wheels. Tese. figures show how the wheels are inclosed by the guards and stri s('v) and it will be seen that it an axle reaks, the wheels of the axlewill be kept on the track by means of the guards the wheels eitherturning or slipping; and in case of the breaking of an axle near thebearin and the wheel forced against its shoe, e shoe of the oppositewheel will also bear against its wheel as the cross rails are connectedby the rods (-w) ('w) seen in Figs. l and 2. Each truck has four bolts(s) (s) (s (s) on its upper part these bolts have hea s on them and passthrough curved slots in rejections or arms (t) t) (t) (t) attachepermanently to the un er side of the car bed. Now it will be seen thatif an axle or wheel break, the truck will still i main perfectly squareand horizontal as it is supported by these arms (t) gt) (t) (t) nothlngtherefore can get out o place or be deranged. llt will be seen that thearms do not mterfere with the turning of the trucks as the bolts (s)work in the curved slots n the arms.

This invention will prevent edectually accidents which daily occur onour roads. 'lwo important advantages are obtained, viz., sim le andeffectual manner of operat ing the rake and connecting the rods by thecompensating joints so that the brakes i of all the cars in a train maybe operated upon or a single brake if desired, also by employlfin theguards and thus inclosing the w eelgs and supportin the truck om the carbed in case of t e brea'mng of a Wheel or axle, thus preventing the carsfrom being thrown ed the track which has hitherto invariably occurredupon the breaking of Wheels or axles.

I do not claim the winding of the chain around the axle for the ur oseof pressin the shoes a ainst the w s, neither do claim the c utch, northe collar, selparately or they have each been previous y used;

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method of operating the toggle joint by means of the rod B,having the cam C, upon it which works in a slot in the bar D by whichthe clutch is thrown in and out of gear or the cap made to bear againstthe hub of the Wheel (b) in combination with the compensating 'oints P,constructed in the manner and for t e purpose as shown and described.

2. ll claim the employment of the guards (g2 (p) (p) (p) vertical studs(v) and r s (fw) (fw) arranged as described for the purpose of inclosinthe Wheels and prevent them getting ed t e track in case of the breakageof a Wheel or axle in combination with the arms (t) and bolts (s) bywhich the trucks are suspended to the car bed in the 'manner and for thepurpose as herein specified.

E. G. OTIS.

Witnesses:

' 0. D. MUNN,

EL. PoLHAMUs.

